Toy track system



Nov. 14, 1967 A. EINFALT TOY TRACK SYSTEM Filed Sept.

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United States Patent Claims. (51. 104-63) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Atoy track system which includes one or several branch tracks or switchesfor directing one or several vehicles on the track system to a selectedtraffic route. The track system provides a comparatively long totaltrack length within the overall dimensions of the toy therebyfacilitating storage and transport of the toy when the same is not inuse.

The present invention relates to a toy track system for toy vehicles,and more particularly to a toy track system having one or several branchtracks and including switching means for directing one or severalvehicles on the track system to a selected traffic route.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved toytrack system of the general kind above referred to which makes availableto a playing child a greater choice of control of traific routes thanwas heretofore available with toy track systems of the kind involved,thereby increasing the play value of the toy.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedtoy track system of the general kind above referred to, the total tracklength of which is considerably greater in reference to the basestructure of the toy than was heretofore available. Such compact designof the track system facilitates storage and transport of the toy whennot in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedtoy track system which guides one or several vehicles traveling thereonsafely through the curves included in the track system, thereby makingthe toy more attractive to a child and also assuring the safety of thetoy.

The aforementioned objects, features and advantages and other objects,features and advantages which will be pointed out hereinafter areattained by providing a toy track system including an upgrade on which avehicle is driven upwardly by means of a conveyor chain mounted on thebase structure of the toy. The upper end of the upgrade is continuedinto at least two downgrades along which the vehicle will travel bygravity action. The lower ends of the downgrades rejoin the upgrade nearor at the lower end thereof, so that an endless track system is provided. One of the downgrades is preferably provided on one side of theupgrade and the other on the other side, to accommodate a maximum tracklength on a given base area.

The invention also provides switch means which control the trafiic routeof a vehicle traveling on the track system, for instance, by means of aswitching tongue on the track system and a catch on the vehicle, andwhich are controllable by a child in a simple and readily understandablefashion.

The invention further provides guide strips or built-ups along one orseveral curves of the track system. These guide strips coact withsuitable protrusions on one or both side walls of the vehicle to guidethe same safely through each curve having these guides alongside. Suchguidance of the vehicle assures that a vehicle can travel through narrowcurves at a comparatively high velocity without being catapulted off thetrack system. The possibility of safely using narrow curves furtherpermits the use of a base which is comparatively narrow in relation tothe total track length of the system, which in turn is desirable to makethe toy interesting to a child.

Finally, the invention provides a station from which vehicles may startand at which they are stopped. This station includes means such that astopped vehicle can be released while a following vehicle is stopped.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention isshown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

'FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy track system according to theinvention with two vehicles traveling thereon;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line II-II of FIG. 1;

7 FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the driving mechanism of thetoy for driving a vehicle upwardly on an upgrade;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view upon switching means for directing avehicle to a selected one of the downgrades of the track system;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line VIIVII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line VIIIVIII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line IXIX of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 10 is a plan view upon the station or terminal of the toy tracksystem.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the exemplified toy track systemcomprises a hollow base structure x, which may be molded of a suitablesynthetic plastic, but of course can also be formed of sheet metal. Theentire track system is built upon the base structure and includes anupgrade a which is continued at or near its upper end by a downgrade b.The downgrade is divided at f into two branches 0 and d, which rejointhe upgrade at the lower end e thereof.

As is apparent, the track system provides several trafiic routes, whcihcan be selected by a playing child by means of a switching means, shownin detail in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The switching means comprises a switchingtongue g which is fitted in a correspondingly shaped slot 1 in the basestructure. The switching tongue can be selectively placed either in aposition in which it protrudes from the level of the track system, or ina position in which it is substantially flush therewith. As can best beseen in FIG. 8, the switching tongue in its protruding position isengageable with a lug mextending from one side of a vehicle u. Theswitching tongue can be selectively placed in either one of itspositions by means of a lever h terminating in a grip k. The lever ispivotally supported at i in base structure 2:.

A directional force, such as gravity or a spring, may bias the lever,and with it switching tongue g, into the position flush with the levelof the track system. As is evident, the switching tongue in itsprotruding or lifted position directs a vehicle traveling downwardly ontrack sectionb to track section d, while in the lower orfiush positionof the switching tongue the vehicle is directed to track section 0.

The exemplified vehicle is not self-propelled, but'is driven upwardly onupgrade a by drive means, shown as a conveyor chain or belt n. Thischain is an endless chain mounted within the hollow base structure andguided over a drive pulley q, which should be visualized as being drivenby a suitable drive motor, such as a spring motor (not shown), alsomounted within the base structure. The chain or belt has on its outerside crosswise protruding ribs which extend through a slot 0 lengthwiseof the upgrade and are engageable with one or several lugs p extendingfrom the bottom of the vehicle body, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and5. As is evident, the vehicle detaches itself automatically from thecross ribs 0 of the chain when reaching the upper end of the upgrade.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, at least some of the curves of the tracksystem are comparatively narrow. To guide a vehicle safely through thesecurves when traveling downwardly from its peak position at the upper endof the upgrade, guide tracks or strips w are provided at some or all ofthe curves. Such guide strips are shown at v v v v and v The guidestrips w are engageable with lugs mprovided on both sides of thevehicle. The coaction of the guide strips w with lugs m is clearly shownin FIG. 9.

To increase further the operational controls available to a child, oneor several terminals or stations, such as the one shown in FIG. 10, arepreferably provided. These stations are arranged to arrest a vehicle Itarriving in the station, and also to release a stopped vehicle when asecond vehicle it arrives. The functions of the station are selected tosimulate as closely as possible the actual operational conditionsmaintained for a real track system with a similar layout.

For this purpose the toy terminal or station comprises noses r and rboth mounted on a lever tpivotally supported beneath a selected portionof the track system. The station is indicated in FIG. 1 as beingprovided on track section d. Noses and r protrude upwardly througharcuate slots s and s, respectively, and a grip portion of lever tprotrudes from an elongated slot t in the track bed. As is evident,placement of lever 1 into the position shown in FIG. in full lines willarrest a vehicle it arriving in the statement by engagement of nose rwhich is in its middle position, with the foremost lug p or any othersuitable portion of the vehicle body. Nose r is passed by the vehicle,since this nose is in a side position; that is, out of the way of lugsp. When lever t is placed in its dotted-line position, nose r willoccupy the middle position, while nose r is moved to the side position.Accordingly, vthe vehicle previously arrested is released, and the nextfollowing vehicle is stopped by nose r when entering thestation/Accordingly, the station can be used by a child to prevent acollision of this vehicle with a second vehicle already in the stationand to effect the arrival and leaving of vehicles.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to acertain now preferred example and embodiment thereof, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art, after understanding theinvention, that various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it isintended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in theappended claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. A toy track system comprising, in combination, a base structureincluding an upgrade track portion, several downgrade track portionsbranched off from an elevated portion of the track system and rejoiningthe upgrade at the lower end thereof to form on the base structure acontinuous track system having several branches; a vehicle traveling onsaid track system; drive means mounted on the base structure andengageable with said vehicle at the lower end of the upgrade for drivingthe vehicle to the upper end of the upgrade; switch means for directingthe vehicle into a selected one of said downgrades, said vehicletraveling by gravity along the selected downgrade and to the juncturepoint thereof with the upgrade, said switch means including a switchingmember movable between a position substantially fiush with the tracklevel and a raised position upwardly protruding therefrom, said vehiclehaving on one of its sides a catch means engageable with said switchingmember in the raised position thereof; and an actuating means coactingwith said switching member for moving the latter into a selected one ofsaid positions, engagement of the switching member with said catch meansleading the vehicle into a predetermined one of said downgrades.

2. A toy track system according to claim 1, wherein said upgrade trackportion substantially bisectssaid base structure, one of said downgradetrack portions being disposed substantially on one side of the upgradeand another substantially on the other side of the upgrade.

3. A toy track system according to claim 1, wherein said switchingmember and said actuating means comprise a lever having at one end agrip and at the other end a bent-off portion, said bent-off portionforming the switching member and the grip the actuating means, saidlever being pivotally supported on said base structure.v

4. A toy track system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle has alateral protrusion on both sides, and wherein said downgrades includecurves and alateral protrusion along the inside of at least one of saidcurves,

said protrusion along the curve being engageable with the protrusion onthe respective side of the vehicle for guiding the latter through therespective curve.

5. A toy track system according to claim 1, wherein said drive meanscomprise an endless conveyor chain mounted on the base structuresubstantially parallel to said upgrade track portion, and a drive motoron the base structure for continuously driving said conveyor chain, saidbase structure including an elongated slot in alignment with an upwardlymoving portion of the chain and said upwardly moving portion of thechain being drivingly engageable through said slot with the vehicle fordriving said vehicle upwardly on the track.

6. A toy track system according to claim 5, wherein said conveyor chaincomprises lengthwise spaced cross ribs and said vehicle has at least onelug protruding from the bottom of the vehicle for engagement with across rib on the chain.

7. A toy track system according to claim 1 and comprising at least onecontrol station for stopping and releasing vehicles traveling over apredetermined track portion of said track system, said station includingtwo movably mounted stop members, said stop members being at the ends ofthe cross arm of a generally T- shaped lever, said lever being pivotallysupported on the base structure, and actuating means coacting with saidstop members for jointly moving the same between a first position inwhich one of said stop members blocks said track portion and the otherclears the same and a second position in which said one stop memberclears said track portion and the other stop member blocks the same.

8. A toy track system according to claim 7, wherein said two stopmembers are disposed lengthwise of said track portion, whereby in saidfirst position of the stop members said one stop member blocks a firstvehicle reaching the station in a predetermined direction of travel andin the second position of the stop members said one 5 stop memberreleases said blocked vehicle and blocks a second vehicle following thefirst one and reaching the station in said predetermined direction.

9. A toy track system according to claim 7, wherein said lever ismounted below said track portion parallel thereto, said track portionincluding two slots, each of said stop members protruding upwardlythrough one of said slots.

10. A toy track system according to claim 7, wherein said station islocated on one of said downgrades.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 912,004 2/1909 Lehman 104-601,765,510 6/1930 Vezzuso 104-63 5 2,121,696 6/1938 Horn 104-1302,664,831 10/1950 Fields 46-216 3,154,024 2/1961 Einfalt 246-415 ARTHURL. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOY TRACK SYSTEM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASE STRUCTUREINCLUDING AN UPGRADE TRACK PORTION, SEVERAL DOWNGRADE TRACK PORTIONSBRANCHED OFF FROM AN ELEVATED PORTION OF THE TRACK SYSTEM AND REJOININGTHE UPGRADE AT THE LOWER END THEREOF TO FORM ON THE BASE STRUCTURE ACONTINUOUS TRACK SYSTEM HAVING SEVERAL BRANCHES; A VEHICLE TRAVELING ONSAID TRACK SYSTEM; DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BASE STRUCTURE ANDENGAGEABLE WITH SAID VEHICLE AT THE LOWER END OF THE UPGRADE FOR DRIVINGTHE VEHICLE TO THE UPPER END OF THE UPGRADE; SWITCH MEANS FOR DIRECTINGTHE VEHICLE INTO A SELECTED ONE OF SAID DOWNGRADES, SAID VEHICLETRAVELING BY GRAVITY ALONG THE SELECTED DOWNGRADE AND TO THE JUNCTUREPOINT THEREOF WITH THE UPGRADE, SAID SWITCH MEANS INCLUDING A SWITCHINGMEMBER MOVABLE BETWEEN A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE TRACKLEVEL AND A RAISED POSITION UPWARDLY PROTRUDING THEREFROM, SAID VEHICLEHAVING ONE ONE OF ITS SIDES A CATCH MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SWITCHINGMEMBER IN THE RAISED POSITION THEREOF; AND AN ACTUATING MEANS COACTINGWITH SAID SWITCHING MEMBER FOR MOVING THE LATTER INTO A SELECTED ONE OFSAID POSITIONS, ENGAGEMENT OF THE SWITCHING MEMBER WITH SAID CATCH MEANSLEADING THE VEHICLE INTO A PREDETERMINED ONE OF SAID DOWNGRADES.